Requiem of Fire
by hate.fate
Summary: [Please see my profile for the summary to this story. I apologize for the inconvenience.]
1. Prologue: Abandoned

"You can't keep her from bending! You're destroying her only future!" Shang snarled, his stony brown eyes boring into his wife who stood tall and readily against him.

"I will not loose a second child to this war – she will never use her abilities and never be enlisted in the army!" Shitomi snapped back, straightening up even more, her fiery amber eyes glaring back fiercely.

Kaio, the foreshadowed 'second child', sat on her bed, staring at the open door into the corridor. Her long black hair was tied back in a knot and she wore dark robes and a high-neck shirt. She couldn't've been any older than six years old…

"I will not be dishonored because _you_ won't let her fight for her country!" Shang shouted. Kaio flinched in her room, gnawing at her cheek. "We are the height of the world, Shitomi! I doubt she would even be sent into a battle!"

"No!" Shitomi cried, finally frustrated to tears. "If you will not listen to my wishes for our daughter, then you won't have a part of her life anymore – nor mine! We're leaving."

"You are not taking Kai away from me! Not when we've already lost Neo together…"

"I'm leaving. You'd better not try to stop us and if you follow, I will call the Guards!" Shitomi stormed to Kaio and grabbed the girl by her wrist. Yanking hard, Kaio was pulled to her feet harshly and stumbled. She grabbed a small doll decorated as a Water Tribe girl before rushing passed her father who watched sadly as they left him…

* * *

They haven't spoken since.


	2. Chapter One: Neo

Kaio strolled through the courtyard, her ebony hair pulled into a twisting bun, the tips fanning out in a circle around her head. Her long, lithe body curved graciously, her fair, soft skin rippling with thin, lean, unused muscles. She wore a red, side-less skirt (much like a long butt-flap) with a black sash around her hips. The top was a complicated gold wrap with long ends trailing to mid-back. It exposed her legs and arms and stomach. Around her throat was a plain black ribbon. She wore strappy sandals that wrapped up her calves and red arm bands just above her biceps. On the small of her back, the symbol/word 'fire' was burned into the flesh. Black kohl liked her gray-gold eyes and curled at the corners. She walked alone, without company.

Turning a corner, Kaio stopped dead still.

A large group of benders were stalking towards her, faces and expressions hidden behind the traditional skull-like masks. But their eyes showed through like fireflies on the darkest of nights. Some were blazing angry. Some sympathetic. And others, quite bored with the mission. They stopped in front of her, shifting into a circle, blocking all exists off from her.

The only parting was made for a large, burly man to step forward. He looked familiar…

"Dad…?" Kaio's eyes widened in shock and she stumbled back as though she were hit hard in the face. She gaped silently at him.

_He told!_ Kaio thought desperately. _They know I'm an illegal bender! They're going to – wait… that guy's too young to be…_

The man laughed at Kaio's reaction. It was a laugh she hadn't heard for SO long… a soft, tinkling lay, very unlike his voice.

"NEO!" Kaio lurched forward and practically tackled her… dead? brother. "Neo! You're alive!"

Pushing his sister off, he stood straight as he could (though still oddly cock-eyed) in his maroon commander's uniform. His face was shaven and washed; his fair was short and spiked. Stern brown eyes were laid under straight eyebrows, above high cheek bones and hollow cheeks. Wide, thin lips were pulled to a taught grin. They only thing different was a pale scar running from the left corner of his mouth to mid-cheek and the way he held all his weight on his left foot and his right shoulder hunched with arm over stomach, as though wounded.

"How long have you been alive? Where've you been? When'd you become a commander? Does mom know? Dad? How -?"

"- All in good time, Kaio," Neo said patiently, but his face turned grim. "That is not why I'm here. Mom and Dad have known for years…"

It was at that instant Kaio felt betrayed and seriously ticked off. Oh yeah, there were the times a kid would tell on her and she'd be hurt and betrayed, but never like this. Never.

Neo had always been the one to protect her before he 'died' during his training. She could tell him everything – anything. He was the one to sing her to sleep when all they could hear was their parents screaming at one another all night long.

_He IS here for me…_

"Why are you here?" Kaio backed away rapidly and was suddenly held tightly by a large bender, his hands gripping her upper arms. She screamed and wriggled, trying to get free.

"KAIO! CALM DOWN!" Neo yelled. "I'm not here to drag you to training! I'm trying to get you away!"

She shook her head.

"I don't want to leave!" Kaio snapped and spit at Neo.

_WHACK!_

Jerking to the side, Kaio went dead silent and limp, taking deep breaths. A large red hand-shaped burn rose on her face. The bender released her to let her fall after the 'o.k.' from Neo and she crumpled to the ground, reduced to tears.

Taking a step forward, Neo crouched beside her. His brown eyes had grown cold with the easy temper of a fire bender. Grabbing her under the arm with a pincer grip, he dragged her up.

"Stop crying," he said, wiping her tears away harshly.

Kaio snarled and brought a hand around to slap him, but he'd caught her wrist in mid-flight.

"Fuck you!"

"I guess you want to be taken into training, then!" Neo hissed, twisting her wrist. She cried out in pain.

"What happened to my brother?" Kaio sobbed, trying to move, only succeeding in increasing the pain even more. "My brother would never hurt me. Not ever…"

"Your brother died when he couldn't talk – couldn't eat for six months. When his shoulder was shattered by a club. When he lost feeling in his right leg after lying with it stuck under a two-ton boulder for a day and a half. When he was taken from his family and the only person he believed in when he was twelve to fain all that plus more for the ward." Neo's grip tightened and tears stung his own eyes. "While the only person he believed in was sheltered by her mother because of a letter he'd written – and never sent to train because he loved her too much for her to be taken away like him."

Kaio stared at him, scared witless.

"You were my life, Kaio!" he whispered, shaking her slightly. "And you stopped believing in me."

Neo nodded slightly, his eyes fixed over Kaio's shoulder and, with firm finders holding her neck; she passed out into her brother's arms.

He picked Kaio up and the bender who'd squeezed her pressure point tied her hands together before slinging her over his shoulder. Neo sighed and started away, rubbing his wrecked shoulder with a grimace.

Removing his mask, another bender went to Neo.

He wasn't Fire Nation.

He was from the Northern Water Tribe; you could tell by his dark skin. Blue-gray eyes flashing, he glanced at Kaio's limp form.

"What will she think when she finds you abandoned –"

Neo's hand swiped the helmet from the man's head. A mane of brown hair fell into his face briefly before Neo's fingers gripped it tightly.

"Shut. Up." He hissed dangerously. "You'll give us away."

"Why do you want her so badly, Neo? She will do us no good if she is faithful to her Nation…" the man asked after Neo released his hair.

"Her loss will come shockingly strong to my parents. They'll try and find her at all costs." Neo replied easily, snatching up the helmet and handing it back to the man. "As for you, Jin, keep your mouth shut and I won't throw you off my ship…"


	3. Chapter Two: Prisoner

Kai woke, shaking, on a small cot, under a wool quilt. The floor rocked back and for and even though she'd only ever traveled in a carriage, she knew by instinct and the sickening feeling in her gut that she was on a ship. A wooden ship…?

Sitting up fast, metal hit her wrists hard, knocking the bone and causing a small moment of shock to take over. Looking at her wrists, Kaio found thick gray shackles chaining her to the floor beside the cot. Panic struck like an animal and Kaio screamed, yanking the chains in a vain attempt to break them from the floor.

She buried her face in her hands and cried out in pain. The burn on her face stung on contact. It needed to be tended and no one had put any ointment – not even a bandage wrap on it.

Getting to her feet, she pounded her fists on the door.

"Neo! Damnit, Neo!" Kai cursed. "Neo, you get your ass over here before I burn the ship!"

The door opened and Jin walked in. (Though, of course, she had no idea who it could possibly be.) His hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, but the shorter bangs remained in his face. He had happy blue eyes and dark skin; three long scars ran over his right eye, parting his eyebrow and shrinking it slightly. He wore no shirt, revealing his thick, toned chest and scars of all sorts: burns, stab-wounds, scraps, everything. On the thick black belt-like wrap around his waist that supported his pants, there hung a wicked blade. In his boot was another.

Kaio, who had stood when the door opened, stumbled back in alarm, tripped over her chains and fell to the floor with a yelp.

"You wouldn't really burn the ship, would you?" Jin asked closing the door behind him. His blue yes seemed to burn into her's…

"I…. Who the fuck are _you_?" Kaio couldn't understand why a Water Tribe warrior was watching guard on Neo's ship…

"My name is Jin."

"Why are you here?"

"I think your brother should tell you."

"Where is he?"

"Busy."

"He isn't a commander for the Fire Nation, is he?"

"No."

"What, then?"

"Ask him."

"My parents don't know he's alive, do they?"

"Nope."

"Why am I chained up?"

"He knows your temper."

"I can firebend, you know."

"No, you can't."

"WHAT?"

"You were drugged – you can't for a full twenty-four hours."

"Then why were you afraid?"

"I'm not."

"Why can't you get him?"

"He'll come."

"When?"

"Later."

"How long?"

"Don't know."

"Where are we going?"

"East."

"Earth Kingdom?"

"No."

"Where?"

"Can't say."

"Can't, or won't?"

"Won't."

"I hate you."

"You barely know me."

"So?"

"You're a bitch."

"I don't care."

"I'm leaving."

"Wait!" Kaio stood fast. "Don't leave me!"

"Why not?" Jin narrowed his eyes and cocked an eyebrow.

"I don't want to be alone?" she suggested. "Please stay?"

"No."

Kaio growled. "You're so…. AUGH!"

"Yes?"

"So… HEARTLESS!"

Jin laughed a cruel, demonic laugh.

"Me? _I'm_ heartless?" he continued to laugh until his sides hurt and Kaio stared at him, confused.

"I don't see what's so funny," Kaio said, quite embarrassed now.

"_I'm_ heartless? Oh, and I supposed you're the little Sugar Plum Fairy, now?" A grin remained on his face.

"I never said _that_…"

"You implied it."

"I didn't mean…" Kaio was growing increasingly frustrated and quite angry. "I never meant…"

"Stop stuttering. You're beginning to sound like your brother."

"My brother doesn't stutter!" she snapped defensively.

"He has since that club crushed his shoulder," Jin said simply. "But we're off subject."

"What…?"

"Not bright, are you?" Jin chuckled. "I was going to leave you alone in here."

"Oh…"

Jin started for the door.

"No!" Kaio sounded angry behind him and fire hit the wall, inches from his head.

The wood immediately caught fire and began spreading fast, the flames turning the ship to charcoal where it grew. Jin yelled and shot out the door crying for help.

"You can't leave me here chained up!" Kaio screamed, tugging her shackles again. The fire was growing rapidly. All she could hear was random instructions and words being shouted.

" – blasting jelly – "

" – blow us up – "

" – get it out – "

" – can't stop it – "

" – island – "

" – the prisoner – "

_Prisoner?_ Kaio thought and jerked her chains again.

" – KAIO –"

The flames grew higher, increasing in size and growing rapidly. The longer she stood there, the more it multiplied and eventually her entire cabin was engulfed in it.

She saw the outline of spiky hair before her skirt caught fire.

"HELP! Please…!"

Coughing, Kaio felt water around her ankles and screamed. The ship was sinking… they were going to die. There was no way she could get away and the smoke was gathering. She could see nothing but the smoke and fire. She could hear only the roar of flames, now. Pulling her wrists again, tears splashed down her face. She felt the flames licking… burning her legs and she couldn't stop it…

A body hurled out of no where and they fell into the icy cold water through a hole Kaio hadn't seen through the fire. She felt strong arms around her and strong legs kicking through the airless abyss…

* * *

Then blackness took over… 


	4. Chapter Three: GoodBye

When Kaio opened her eyes, she lay, front down in soft, warm sand. She groaned and rolled onto her back, blinking at the bright sunshine as it came through the tree branches that dangled overhead, swaying in the wind. Sighing, as if relieved not to be on the ship anymore, Kaio looked to the side for a better view of the beach.

Her scream startled the birds from their perches and sent them calling the alarm into the sky.

Lying next to her was Jin. His face was covered in drying blood, the source of which was a deep gash on his forehead. His pants were burned, along with a good half of his torso.

Sitting up fast, Kaio screamed again, her shaking hands covering her mouth as she pushed away from him with her legs. Throbbing pain made her look down at her feet and see long, fiery burns rippling up her calves. Her skirt was burned short and there were no more sandals attached to her feet. Lifting her hands to eye-level, the thick bands of metal remained fastened to her, only bits of the chain dangling from the shackles. Side numbed, Kaio finally looked to find a large would with dried blood caking her hip.

_What does my face look like?_ Kaio rolled to the water splashing on shore, her burns and gashes practically screaming in pain. Looking in the rippling water, she saw a large bruise on her cheek and dry blood from her nose. And that wicked, hand-shaped burn.

After a moment, Kaio lifted her eyes to the sea to find no sign of Neo's ship…

* * *

Jin opened his eyes weakly and looked at Kaio sitting in the ocean, crying as she rubbed her injuries with the salty water – smart, seeing how it would clean the wounds for the time being. He moaned and coughed, blood pouring from his lips and into the sand.

Kaio looked around fast.

"Jin!"

He continued to cough horribly as Kaio hurried to his side, worry in her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"My back…"

With a grunt and a shove, Kaio rolled him over, revealing a length of wood lodged firmly in his back, more than likely puncturing his lung.

"Oh dear…" Kaio stared at his sadly. Jin had no hope of surviving on this island in this condition.

"Take it out." Jin murmured, beginning to shake in agony. Though he did well in not showing the pain.

_He knows…_

"I can't!" Kaio choked out.

_Why am I crying? Damnit, woman! You're too soft – you don't even know him!_

"Then finish it." Jin sputtered more blood and looked at her hopefully. His happy blue eyes watched and held Kaio captive. She didn't even know him and it pained her to know those eyes would dull and never be happy and sparkling again. "Please."

Kaio shook her head rapidly, tears pouring down her face.

"I don't want to hurt anymore, Kaio, please?" he begged. How could he beg for death so easily? It was unnatural… "Please, Kaio, I'm sorry for being heartless. I don't want to die slow – not like this!"

Sobbing now, Kaio grabbed the knife from Jin's hip and held the blade in a shaking hand.

"I'm sorry for being so mean and setting the ship on fire, I didn't mean to," Kaio's voice cracked horribly and she took his hand in her's. Jin squeezed her hand to show he understood.

"If you ever meet a girl named Katara from the water tribe, tell her I'm sorry for picking on her and tell her brother he'll be a great warrior. And my father, Bato, I'm sorry I failed…" but by this time, it was clear Jin was beginning to hallucinate. He thought Kaio was some brave world traveler who'd actually meet these people.

Kaio nodded anyways. She couldn't refuse his request.

"I'm sorry, Jin…" she droved the blade in his heart fast and watched those happy eyes fade to a dull nothingness. Felt his muscles relax and his hand fall from her grip. Heard his breath leave him and her own sobs.


	5. Chapter Four: Lies

Zuko rounded the bend of trees, his gray and red boots sinking into the soft, golden sand. A red sun set over the horizon; his uncle had always told him that meant someone had died recently and very close. At this point, the prince was loosing doubt his uncle still held onto his sanity. Behind him, from which he was leaving, was a campfire and a circle of drunk soldiers singing high-pitched and off-tune. He'd wanted no part of that what-so-ever, so after a quick departure exchange with his uncle, Zuko left hurriedly.

Truly hoping that Lieutenant Li was correct in his theory, Zuko was half-expecting the Avatar to stumble out of the trees. Of course, that was probably just Li's excuse for wanting to dock, so what he really found when he turned the bend was very far from what he'd expected.

Lying dead-still and curled on the beach was a girl. Her Fire Nation clothes were burned, as were her legs. There was a bloody gash on her side and quite a brutal burn on her cheek. The dampness of her hair told him that she'd been in the ocean – probably shipwrecked – and the way it was bent and crooked made him guess it was recently pulled from some sort of knot. She'd just passed out or fallen asleep.

Zuko stopped and gaped at this sight. Lying in the sand, under her palm was a bone-tooth Water Tribe knife. A small ways from her was another, more rigid figure – dead. She'd killed him. But why? What gave her the right to murder a man? He started forward again.

The girl, Kaio, shuddered and opened her eyes. All she saw was red: Red sky; red water; red, bloody memories that tried to engulf her again and vividly red… armor. Armor? It looked oddly familiar, as if it connected with those bad thoughts. She groaned and looked up at Zuko as he approached. And for the first time in the last two days, Kaio was not afraid or shocked or sad or angry. She felt nothing. Her entire body was numb. Her mind was numb. Her emotions, detached.

Crouching, Zuko looked at the burn on her cheek and winced. He knew her pain…

"What's your name?" he asked, curiosity brimming his voice.

"Kaio."

"How long have you been here?"

"A day, maybe more."

"Who's that?" Zuko pointed to the dead man.

"Jin."

"How'd you get here?" he looked out at the ocean, the sky continuing to darken overhead.

"Shipwreck."

Bingo.

"Any others around?"

She shook her head and said, "Don't know…"

"What nation are you from?"

"Fire." She winced.

"And him?"

"Water."

"How'd you get shipwrecked?"

"My fault…"

He was losing her somehow. Her eyes were drooping…

_Better make this quick…_

"What'd you do?"

"Got angry."

"Bender?"

"Yes. And no."

"How so?"

"I've hid it – no training…"

"Why?"

"Didn't want to be in the war. Didn't want to fight…"

Zuko frowned, deep in thought.

Kaio sighed and closed her eyes again.

"You remind me of my father when you look like that. Like I fucked up the world for not fighting for my country…"

"Why wouldn't you want to?"

"The Royal Family pisses me off, no end…"

Zuko stiffened. _What a bitch!_

"I see." He said shortly, looking away from her again.

"When I found out that the Prince was banished…" Kaio coughed. "I denied my heritage, how I grew up, and what I am."

"Why?"

"I saw the Fire Lord burn him – I cried. It's hard to know you're helpless."

"Then why are you out here?"

Silence.

"Kaio?" Zuko watched her, uneasy. "Oh, this is a horrible idea…"

Straightening up with a groan and sharp complaint from his thighs, the prince stepped over Kaio and went to Jin. He grabbed the man's arms and began dragging him down the beach, towards the water. He waded into the ocean and started pushing the body into the waves.

_A watery grave for a man of the Water…_

Zuko had dove completely under to make sure Jin was far enough into the tide before returning, sopping wet, to Kaio. Mindful of her injuries, he picked her up gingerly and draped her body over his arms. Her burned cheek rested against his shoulder with ease and he could feel her warm breath on his neck. He was oddly comfortable, but helping a girl into a pack of drunken bafoons definitely wasn't one of his top priorities. Hell, helping a girl, period, wasn't on the list.

He started back to his ship reluctantly.

hr 

Kaio woke on a ship once more and, as an instinct this time, dread washed over her. But after a moment of clearing her head, she realized that the ship she was on now was a Fire Navy boat. Looking around the room, wonder set in her mind. It was a very nice and well-furbished room with steel walls adorned with long Fire nation banners. She sat on a mattress on the far side of the room, with bamboo rugs on the floor leading to an oak-wood dresser on one wall, a low meditation table with a wild mask and an even shorter seat on another. The wall at the foot of the bed she sat on was where the door so casually stood, more than likely locked.

Rubbing her temples, Kaio noted the lack of metal cuffing her wrists, but a fresh appearance of purple bruises where it used to be. Looking at the rest of her, she found her burned clothes had been removed and a strong hope that there was a woman aboard came to her. Replacing her earlier outfit was a make-shift breast-wrap and gray pants that tied off just below her knees, where white bandages were wrapped around her calves. Around her waist was another bandage for the injury on her side and on her face was a sweet-smelling ointment, no doubt for that particularly nasty burn. But she couldn't remember anything else. Nothing but a vivid image of death.

Kaio stayed completely alone for what seemed like forever, but only ended up being only a couple minutes, before the iron door slammed open and two bickering men stormed in. One was tall with a twisted scar over his left eye. The other, a short old man who appeared to be an ex-soldier gone to seed. The only thin she could see in common with them was the fact that they were both red in the face and yelling.

" – they need to leave me and my personal business alone!" the younger, haughty male was snarling.

"I understand this, but carrying a girl back to camp like that – "

"UNCLE! I don't need a lecture right now!" he stopped dead and stared at Kaio.

The old man looked at her curiously a moment before a shadow of a grin flashed across his stern face. "I'll be… outside…" he said and departed quickly.

"Hello, Kaio!" Zuko said in a would-be cheery voice, stepping forward.

"How do you know my name?" Kaio questioned slowly, lifting a blanket to her chin. _Who is this psycho?_

He frowned.

"You… told it to me…"

"Who are you? I've never spoken to you before in my life!" Kaio winced as she moved to get up. Her legs screamed in protest and her side doubled her over.

Zuko looked very taken aback by this, but recovered quickly.

"You spoke to me before!"

"No, I didn't."

He growled in frustration and said: "Don't tell me you don't remember!"

"I think I already have," Kaio snapped irritably. "Tell me, then, what did I say to you? What could YOU possibly know about ME?"

"You killed that man, Jin after being shipwrecked when you'd lost your temper," Zuko explained lazily. "Jin was from the Water Tribe and you are from the Fire Nation – like me. You're an illegal bender and you've never told anyone because you're afraid of going to war for you country."

"All right, smart guy, what's your name, then, huh?"

"Z…" he stopped. A shadow of a grin flashed over his face. He could have fun with this…

Kaio raised her eyebrows.

"Xen."

"Xen?" Kaio repeated daftly. "What kind of name is that?"

_Oh… wow… she's really not bright…_

Zuko grinned despite of himself. "A good name!"

"You're lying. I've seen you somewhere before…"

"Zuko, I –" the old man appeared again and immediately shut up upon spotting the look on Zuko's face: a contorted mix between frustration, anger, amusement and utter horror. "Did I interrupt –"

"Get OUT, Uncle!" Zuko hissed between gritted teeth, the amusement falling from his face. The man left and Zuko turned back to Kaio. "All right… I'm not Xen."

"Zuko?" Kaio repeated, horrified. "PRINCE Zuko? Please be joking…"

He shook his head and Kaio realized why she didn't recognize him. It'd been two years since she'd last seen him and he'd grown a lot since then, physically and maturely. His head was bald, all but the ponytail and the scar given to him the last day she saw him as a brutal reminder took up a good portion of his face.

"I'm not joking…. But I can't say I blame you, to be honest," Zuko said, sighing, still clearly frustrated with his uncle about giving away his little game. "I doubt my father recognizes me –" He cut off short and cast his glance away.

This didn't improve her self-esteem, though, after that mishap. Here she'd been , cocky and know-it-all when she couldn't even tell the difference from her Prince and a common war general. After a moment of slow thought, Kaio stumbled to her feet and bowed deeply.

"Prince! Please forgive me for my disrespect –" Kaio's legs shook and she stayed cocked to one side as pain erected from her wound. Worry blushes Zuko's features for a split moment, but it vanished quickly. He stepped over and forced Kaio to sit again.

"Be at peace, Kaio," Zuko said a bit softer than before. "I lied to you, not the other way around."

Kaio looked taken aback. She could think of nothing to say to that, so changed the subject.

"Did you happen to grab the knife that was by me on the beach?"

Zuko nodded and went to a drawer. After a moment of shifting through it, he brought out a long Water Tribe knife. Its blade was white, jagged, and carved from bone. The handle was black leather with a long strand tying a pale blue feather to it. Kaio frowned.

"How long ago was it?"

"What?" Zuko looked confused.

"How long have I been with you… on the ship?"

Zuko grimaced slightly, but the look vanished.

"How long?" Kaio repeated.

"Two weeks…" the prince looked away.


End file.
